stArt uPs
niCoLE MCLarEn
SetS her SightS on conQuering buSineSS through education
by Andre Burnett
T
he Russian translation of the word “entrepreneur” reads like hieroglyphics to most Jamaicans, but to Nicole McLaren it might just mean she needs to brush up on the Russian she studied at boarding school in Massachusetts in the United States. The initial perplexed look on her face will be replicated however if said word is used in conjunction with her name, as the budding business owner has still gotten used to the fact that her role as an educator has now expanded into something more. “I never saw myself as an entrepreneur, serving people is something that has defined my life”, explained the 25 year old founder and CEO of A.I.M. Educational Services Ltd. A.I.M. is an acronym for the combination of the words, Aspiration, Inspiration and Motivation and is a kind of mantra by which the St. Andrew High School for Girls past student hopes to grow her center. A.I.M provides a number of services which include College Planning & Advising Programmes, SAT test programmes, Student Enrichment Nicole McLaren programmes which CEO of are used to develop A.I.M. Educational Services Ltd the student beyond the borders of the traditional classroom settings and college tours. Ms. McLaren says that education has been in her blood since birth since her mother and both grandmothers were all teachers.
interest in the service of others makes her startup enterprise a very rewarding experience. “We kicked off officially in January of this year, but even before that we had business,” stated the young entrepreneur, “with the focus that I have on my students, the quality will speak for itself and this will grow the business”. With such a unique endeavour, Start/Ups asked Ms. McLaren to give some perspective on the challenges of a small business: s ur expense managing yo u. The at le ib l ss a o it p to yo Cap ive as e available e to be creat es which ar al intensive in fact th rc “You have u so re e it th in p g ss n ca e gi n at si ra th u is not d my b and leve .M is that it le to any business an .I A f o ty beau vailab ous asset a most preci .” in ra b is your particular n h educatio ve that wit lie e b . I e t, m ge g d ill co Marketin arketing bu business w lutely no m rst and the but its te si b e w a “I have abso to establish quality fi I do have t d by day.” an an ay rt d ge o p ly ra it is im organical ress cove g p in e w m o so gr n e it is I have gott mouth and ly word of been most nsive supa very exte ve d a h I t u e, b visory boar Labour just been m rm of an ad are drawn as h fo it e r th fa in o e ple “”ME!!! S takes shap These peo ure which ose friends. all around cl d ry an ve port struct e u d iq an it cr ily , m ce fa vi f o e ad consisting unds so th us backgro .” from vario able een invalu help has b
Ms. McLaren, who is a graduate of Princeton in the United States, maintained that while she chose to go abroad to complete her studies, the choice depends very much on the individual. “I had a great experience at St. Andrew’s and it set a wonderful foundation for the rest of my academic life but I wanted to explore more, socially and academically,” explained Ms. McLaren, “it was the great experience that I had which pushed me to make myself available to help any student who wishes to take up studies abroad.” Ms. McLaren explained that her passion for education and her yourmoney ezine
Business Lounge
Choosing
the right color for your brand
T
his article was inspired by President Obama’s first State of the Union address. I noticed he wore a red tie with white stripes and Vice President Biden wore a blue tie with white stripes. I laughed at myself as I knew the colors were chosen by someone who knew the meaning / symbolism of color. What did our leaders tie scream at me? Red, White and Blue—“America”! Colors are non-verbal communication. They have symbolism and color meanings. Therefore, as you create your brand identity it is helpful to keep in mind how the eye and the mind perceive certain colors and the color meanings we associate with each color. Here is a list of common colors used in business identities and their meaning*:
Relaxing, Confident, Casual, Reassuring, Nature, Earthy, Solid, Reliable, Genuine, Autumn, Endurance
RED Warmth, Love, Anger, Danger, Boldness, Excitement, Speed, Strength, Determination, Desire, Courage
WHITE Cleanliness, Purity, Newness, Virginity, Peace, Innocence, Simplicity, Sterility, Snow
ORANGE Cheerfulness, Low Cost, Affordability, Enthusiasm, Stimulation, Creativity
Before you launch your brand identity, consider your goals and what reaction you hope to receive from your target audience. Also keep in mind that culture dictates color meaning hence subtle variations in the international business world.
YELLOW Attention-Grabbing, Comfort, Liveliness, Cowardliness, Hunger, Optimism, Overwhelm, Summer, Comfort, Liveliness, Intellect, Happiness, Energy
BLACK Elegance, Sophistication, Formality, Power, Strength, Illegality, Depression, Morbidity, Night
Look at your brand identity…Did you choose a color that represents you, your culture, and your beliefs?
GREEN Durability, Reliability, Environmental, Luxurious, Optimism, Well-Being, Nature, Calm, Relaxation, Spring, Safety, Honesty, Optimism, Harmony, Freshness BLUE Peace, Professionalism, Loyalty, Reliability, Honor, Melancholia, Boredom, Coldness, Winter, Depth, Stability, Professionalism, Honor, Trust PURPLE Power, Royalty, Nobility, Elegance, Sophistication, Artificial, Luxury, Mystery, Royalty, Elegance, Magic GRAY Conservatism, Traditionalism, Intelligence, Serious, Dull, Uninteresting BROWN yourmoney ezine
your money insights
Piracy:
The Elephant in the Room by Andre Burnett
T
wo VCRs, the original VHS tape, an empty video cassette and two hours to spare… those were the ingredients needed to whip up an “illicit” copy of a movie that was already out on home video release two decades ago. Explaining this to a teenager who just downloaded a sharp copy of the new blockbuster, Avatar, hours after its release might trigger a fit of giggles. In a few short years, the advent of the internet, the continual improvement of processors and internet speeds have caused many a sleepless night for executives who depend on cash from its copyrighted content. The term “piracy” might have found a new mental association with Somali hijackers, but preceding it with digital and you have the phrase which has terrorized record labels, studios and now even publishing houses. With the hubbub about Apple’s new “IPad” and the steady success of Amazon’s “Kindle”, publishers would have hoped that this new medium would bolster sales and help to garner more market share. They succeeded, but a high cost. Digital copies of Dan Brown’s latest novel, “The Lost Symbol” outsold its print counterpart on the release day but within hours illegal copies were available for download on popular sharing sites. Alongside the regular movies and music albums of course.
we do business, so instead of lamenting about revenue lost from POTENTIAL retail sales, that time should be spent on making products which people place such a high value on that piracy feels like they are cheating themselves. Piracy is wring and is abhorrent but the cards have been dealt, time to play your hand.
Like it or not, piracy has become a way of life. The increasingly ubiquitous IPod and MP3 capable cell phones are usually chock full of music downloaded illegally with the user not even thinking twice about it. People drive past “entrepreneurs” peddling freshly copied DVDs without batting an eyelash while going home to check if the latest stash of torrents has been downloaded as yet. The nonchalant indifference to piracy is what executives are hapless to do anything about. Movie ticket prices in Jamaica have steadily increased yearly while promoters of concerts complain bitterly that artistes are trying to recoup lost revenue by increasing the appearance fees. What is the rationale? James Cameron seems to have beaten the pirates. By advertising and delivering an experience that was just not as fulfilling on a 14 inch monitor, the Avatar director has broken sales records left right and center. The point being? Innovation. The internet has changed the way yourmoney ezine